Encyclopedia

DRIVERS: BILL WHITEHOUSE

An off-license owner from south London, Whitehouse became one of the early competitors in the 500cc formula after World War II and enjoyed considerable success with Cooper machinery. He tried his hand at Formula 2 in 1951 with an Alta and in 1954 acquired an F2 Connaught, which he raced in British events. This was entered for the British GP that year. In 1955, with F2 being canceled, he retired for a while but in 1957 he bought a Cooper-Climax F2 car and restarted his career at Syracuse before settling back into British events, racing with his brother Brian. In July they traveled to Reims to take part in the F2 race there and after Bill's car failed in practice he was lent another car by Roy Salvadori. Early in the race the car somersaulted and caught fire on the run down to the Thillois hairpin. Whitehouse was killed in the crash.